Researchers at Rutgers have made a significant breakthrough in dental pain relief.
Their study, published in the Journal of Dental Research, reveals that cannabidiol (CBD), a non-addictive component of marijuana, can effectively alleviate acute dental pain.
This discovery marks a major shift in pain management, offering a potential alternative to opioid painkillers, which are known for their addictive properties.
Led by Vanessa Chrepa, an associate professor at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, the study involved 61 participants with severe tooth pain. These individuals were randomly given either two doses of FDA-approved pure CBD solution Epidiolex, or a placebo.
The team used a visual analog scale (VAS) to measure pain levels over three hours. Remarkably, those who received CBD experienced significantly more pain reduction compared to the placebo group, with about 85% reporting a 50% decrease in pain.
Another important outcome was the improvement in bite force among CBD users, suggesting an enhancement in tooth function. This aspect is particularly beneficial for patients whose dental pain impacts their ability to chew.
Potential and Limitations
While the findings are promising, there are certain limitations to the study, such as the small sample size. Side effects like sedation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain were more common in the CBD groups.
Despite these issues, the results are encouraging enough to consider pure CBD solutions like Epidiolex for dental pain management.
The Rutgers team is planning a larger phase III clinical trial to build on these findings and comprehensively assess the safety of CBD in treating dental pain.
This upcoming research could pave the way for FDA approval of Epidiolex or similar CBD solutions for dental pain relief. The potential applications of CBD extend beyond just toothache to other acute inflammatory pain conditions.
Key Takeaways
This study represents a significant advancement in dental care, offering a safer and effective alternative to opioids for pain management.
With further research, CBD could soon transform how dentists treat acute tooth pain, benefiting numerous patients who suffer from dental discomfort.
If you care about pain, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more information about pain, please see recent studies about what you need to know about headache pain, and results showing scientists make weak recommendation for medical cannabis for chronic pain.
The research findings can be found in JAMA Network Open.
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